Scammers posing as Georgia Power to bilk businesses, attorney general warns

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is warning businesses about a telemarketing fraud scheme in which scam artists pose as representatives from Georgia Power and threaten to shut off power at the business unless a payment is made immediately.

The scammers then provide a toll-free number to call to set up the payment. When customers dial that number, they get a recording that mimics the power company phone system, increasing the effectiveness of this scam, Carr said.

Additionally, when customers choose the “Billing” option from the automated menu, they are connected to a live person who assigns them a case number and instructs them to send funds via a Green Dot MoneyPak prepaid card or a wire transfer.

Carr advises consumers that they can avoid these scams by remembering that Georgia Power will never ask you for a pre-paid debit card, bank information or credit card over the phone.

Anyone getting a call of this nature should hang up and call Georgia Power directly at 1-888-660-5890 to verify. You can also get the legitimate phone number for Georgia Power from your most recent billing statement.

More information about telemarketing fraud is available at the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit web site. Additional information about frequent scams and how Georgia Power works to protect customers is available here.